THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE

This is a quiet book. An introspective book. A book about relationships, feelings, dreams, and growing up in 1970s Brooklyn. And that's exactly how narrator David Aaron Baker reads it: quietly, introspectively, and with an understanding of how to convey private thoughts with assurance and dignity. Baker has a soothing, beguiling voice that invites listeners to sit down and listen. He shows a distinct talent for character voices, though he sometimes edges into caricature, especially with his African-American inflections. Some of that is necessary, though, because this plot is somewhat ethereal and otherworldly. There is even a magic ring and a superhero. But the bottom line is that this is a well-told story, expertly narrated. Come. Sit down. Listen. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 04]